Craig Newmark Philanthropies donated $3 million to support a fresh artificial intelligence and education initiative from Common Sense Media. Newmark remarked that in the early 1970s, he became interested in language-generating software such as ChatGPT and the sudden appearance of the technology was a shock to him. "You really do not wish to have any type of news source deliberately telling untruths," Newmark expressed regarding generative AI and false information.
Craig Newmark built his wealth from a website created in 1995, which appears to have been unchanged since then. The website, Craigslist, is still offering rental listings, job postings and products for sale. Nonetheless, it has been overshadowed by larger competitors such as Airbnb, LinkedIn and Facebook Marketplace, which are driven to expand and make profits by Wall Street. To address broader issues regarding the tech industry, Newmark founded Craig Newmark Philanthropies in 2015. His philanthropic organization recently donated $3 million towards a joint AI and education initiative with Common Sense Media. Newmark was taken aback by the current advances in AI and chatbots, though he was able to humorously comment on his brief hospital stay for a recent heart ablation, saying “Hospital pudding is really good!” Though he’s now based in New York with his wife, Newmark’s move to distribute much of his Craigslist income to various causes was a way of confronting his own mortality.
Newmark has largely dedicated his foundation to backing journalism, combating false information, tackling online bullying, cyber security and helping veterans and families from the armed forces. His newly-aroused attention to AI and its possibilities for danger has fuelled a new AI ratings system for parents, teachers, policy makers and superintendents from Common Sense, allowing them to determine which AI tools, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, are secure or insecure for children. Furthermore, the non-profit is offering web-based AI classes, intended to assist in teaching core AI principles to kids.As companies began using generative AI to influence search engines, Newmark was able to grasp the full magnitude of AI's capabilities and its capacity to cause harm. He mentioned, "I understood that if a search engine was using untrustworthy sources, sources which lied to people, it would create a huge ethical dilemma and no news outlet wants to lie to people knowingly." Newmark is concerned that malicious actors will capitalize on generative AI to more conveniently distribute misinformation. He is also concerned that tech organizations, especially in social media, are "not even trying anymore to get rid of stuff they recognize as false," he highlighted. A few tech giants like Meta, Amazon and X (formerly known as Twitter) recently made job cuts as part of their major cost-saving strategies, but they have specified that the reduction in personnel will not have a negative impact on the protection of their solutions.
Newmark noted that AI has the potential to be as impactful to society as the internet and the printing press were before. He is well-versed in this area; Craigslist was something that shook up the newspaper industry and its classifieds, but also became a platform that hosted criminals and scammers. Newmark also remarked that the internet has enabled many dishonest people to deceive people on a large scale, as it is like a "printing press" for anyone, regardless of their intentions. Newmark has been interested in programs creating language since the 1970s, though he says he did not completely comprehend it back then. Now, the technology is more prominent than ever.
Newmark expressed his reluctance to call out certain organizations related to AI which he believes are creating social unrest. He gave his reasons as "I've been burned in the past when I've highlighted certain issues, and it seems I'm no match for people who have no problems telling lies". He further added that he relies on braver and smarter individuals to bring attention to matters he cannot. Concerning his donation to Common Sense Media, in an effort to protect children from the consequences of AI, he stated “I’m not sure how I’d approach it, but I’d like to put my money where my mouth is”. He further elaborated that “a lot of people and politicians talk, but Common Sense are the real deal, so I'm helping them”.
Newmark noted that debates surrounding misinformation, journalism, and content moderation have grown increasingly polarized in recent times. House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, representing Ohio's Republican district, declared that tech companies discriminate against conservative speech and launched a "censorship investigation" to investigate the influence of tech services associated with the executive branch. According to several academics, the politicized environment has caused some organizations to reduce their contributions to research on misinformation prevention due to concerns about facing public condemnation. Newmark stated that he is not very brave but praised organizations such as the Knight Foundation and the Ford Foundation for staying committed to these causes. His most renowned project is the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism in CUNY. The school was named after Newmark in 2018 when he donated $20 million to it. Furthermore, he provided $20 million to The Markup. This newsroom focuses on studying the implications of technology in modern society. Tournament caused controversy when editor-in-chief Julia Angwin was dismissed without warning from the email of executive director Sue Gardner. On the contrary, Newmark asserted that both the CUNY journalism school and The Markup have been successful. As for the other endeavors, Newmark has declined to comment. He estimated that his philanthropy success rate stands at 70-80%. Apart from that, he spends some time on X to shine a light on the work of educators. However, he noticed that the platform has grown less effective in displaying posts as it recommends them to users primarily based on algorithms.
Newmark outlined his sentiment that Twitter is no longer a social network, instead opting to explore options like Bluesky, Mastodon, and Meta's Threads. He expressed admiration for the growth rate of these sites, commenting that 'Twitter and everything else grew slowly and the other sites are growing slowly, and yet we are impatient and we want to see network effects now.' For cybersecurity, Newmark pledged $100 million to several organizations working towards reducing the spread of ransomware, and tech and security firms sharing threat information. This number is expected to exceed $80 million. Moreover, $100 million will be donated to supporting veterans and military members, which he labeled a 'national security matter.' Newmark concluded that it is more satisfying to give away than to spend money on 'yachts or fast cars.'
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